Shopping with Grace
by Mari217
Summary: Grace and Catherine share a shopping milestone... Grace, Catherine, Steve, the ohana and Daddy Danny.


_Thanks to my RL buddy Marsha, for making fandom more fun. And although she'd be _mortified_ if she ever read it, this one's for my Goddaughter, because I lived the dressing room scene with her. _

**Five-0 HQ - Friday afternoon**

"… Shopping!"

Danny laughs into the speaker phone, the voice he reserves only for Grace evident to those around him in the bullpen. "Sorry, Monkey, could you say that louder? Grandma didn't hear you in New Jersey…" Grace had squealed so excitedly he was sure he'd have heard her without the phone.

"Shopping, Danno! If you and Uncle Steve have to work and Catherine is picking me up, can I ask her to take me shopping? Pleeease?"

"She heard you, Babe, she's right here. Yes, you can go shopping; I'll give her some money." Danny peels off a few bills and hands them to Catherine, who's smiling at Grace's excitement from her position next to Steve.

"Just don't clean me out, and don't buy anything crazy, like a real Monkey, Monkey."

"Silly! Can I please get a new sundress and slippers, ones that match it, for Kim's party? They're on sale at Old Navy!"

"A dress and … what? I thought you said _slippers_ but you'll look awfully funny in fuzzy slippers at a party." He teases.

"Daaannno… _flip flops_, okay?" She giggles, "I'd like new _flip flops_, please!" Grace, knowing her daddy simply refuses to call them slippers, teases him back. Her Danno could be so silly. She loved Mommy but sometimes wished she was as much fun as Danno. "Kim's birthday's in two weeks and I have a blue bathing suit so I want a blue dress for after when we eat dinner or maybe a yellow one with…"

"Grace, Grace, sweetheart, I have to go. I can't wait to hear all about it later, but I'm going to go grab some bad guys now and I'll meet you at Uncle Steve's for dinner, okay? I'm giving the phone to Catherine."

"Okay, be careful. I love you, Danno."

"Danno loves you, too, Monkey. I'll see you later. Be good for Catherine."

"'kay. Hey, Uncle Steve?

"Yeah, Gracie?" Steve calls from halfway across the bullpen.

"You be careful, too! Love you."

"Me, too, Gracie, and I will!" Steve yells over his shoulder, the beaming smile brought on by Grace's declaration not lost on Catherine. "See you soon!"

They're nearly out the door but Catherine can hear their fading voices from the hallway. "It's not nice to lie to children, Steven…"

"What?! I'm careful…"

She's shaking her head with a smile when Grace's voice gets her attention.

"Catherine?"

"I'm here, Grace."

"Can we go to Ala Moana?"

"Sure, Hon. I'll see you in a little while. We'll shop 'til we drop."

**Ala Moana ****(shopping) ****Center **

"I don't know." Grace, looking disappointed, comes out from behind the curtain of the dressing room cubicle into the common area where Catherine is sitting.

"Well, how about the blue one? Why don't you try that one on again?" Catherine points to a dress near the top of the growing pile at Grace's feet in the dressing room.

"Well, maybe. It's too babyish, though." Grace looks around. They all are, kind of."

"Hon, c'mere." She holds out her hand to the little girl who's looking close to tears. When Grace gets close enough, Catherine pulls her onto the tufted bench outside the dressing room cubicle where she'd been sitting for the past thirty five minutes, watching as Grace modeled sundress after sundress.

"I'm sorry, you're mad. I'm takin' too long."

"Mad? Oh, Grace, no. I _love_ shopping with you. I just think you're getting tired and maybe need a little break. Sometimes shopping gets frustrating. Like, when you think you'll know the perfect outfit if you can only find it, but you can't. Or if it only looked like you thought it would in your head and it doesn't. It happens all the time. To me, Kono, even to your Mom I bet."

"But, but, Mommy always looks pretty, and you and Auntie Kono too. You guys are pretty _and_ cool."

"Aww, you're a sweetheart. But there's not a woman in the world who hasn't gotten upset shopping. I promise. Now, how about you tell me why you're not loving any of those perfectly cute dresses?"

"I don't know." Grace looks at her feet.

"Grace?"

"It's not the dresses, it's me. I look like a baby."

"_You_ are gorgeous." She forces Grace to meet her eyes with a gentle finger under the girl's chin. "Which one of your friends got a bra?"

Grace looks up like she was struck by lightning. "Who told you!?"

Catherine laughs, "Sweetie, no one told me. I _was_ eleven once, you know!"

Warily, "Mommy didn't tell you when you came to get me?"

"Cross my heart. Your mom thanked me for picking you up and I mentioned how big your brother was getting, that's all. Now spill, what brought this on? Who's got their first bra?"

"Everyone but me."

"Grace Williams. _Everyone_ in your _entire_ class except you?" Catherine looks her in the eye.

"Well, okay, Kiana. And Marissa and Kelly, too. They all have older sisters who took them shopping." Conspirator's whisper, "Mommy said I could if I want to, imitating her Mom's accent 'Grace, darling, we could go and try on some _training_ _bras_ if you'd like.' Which means she doesn't _really_ think I need to but she's being, well, a mom and trying to make me happy. But it's _so_ embarrassing to go with your Mom. Like what if she asks the _sales lady_ for a _training_ bra?" Huge sigh. "Kiana looks like a teenager and I look like a baby."

"Grace, I know there's not a lot I can say to make you feel better, but you _are_ beautiful, and you can't judge yourself by how other people look. You just can't."

"That's what Mommy said. You're sure she didn't tell you?"

"I promise. Your Mommy's been eleven, too, you know. Even though you think it was a hundred years ago."

Hint of a smile.

"Know what? Billy likes Kiana."

"And you like Billy?"

"Ewww. No." She looks sideways at Catherine. "Umm, Catherine?"

"What, Hon?"

Looking like she's contemplating a jump off a high dive, Grace blurts "Kelly's brother, he's in high school, said boys don't like skinny girls without boo… um, with flat chests."

"To _you girls_? He said that to _you_?" Catherine asks while thinking 'creep'.

"No! Kelly heard him and his friends talking and she told us. They like girls like the Victoria's Secret models. After she heard them, Kelly put Kleenex in her bra."

Relaxing, Catherine smiles while struggling to keep a straight face. "Really?"

"Yup" Grace glances around and in one breath gushes "but her sister, she's _nineteen_" (with the emphasis on nineteen like it was the benchmark of all wisdom) "told Kelly that's stupid 'cause the tissues can fall out and then everyone'd make fun of her _and_ that you just have to like how you look. That in _college_ nobody cares that much anyway _and_ she'll have a boyfriend when she's old enough because you don't have to have big boobs to have a boy like you. Then she told Kelly that if she was overweight or had big boobs then she'd probably be worried about _that_ because all girls worry about how they look."

"Grace, sweetie, she's right, not because what she did was stupid, but because Kelly doesn't need to prove anything to anybody. And those boys were being idiots. Boys say dumb things sometimes. And wanna know a secret? They're just as insecure as girls."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Trust me. I work with thousands of 'em. You can't worry about what other people say."

"I know, but..."

"Listen, you've been to the beach with me and had surfing lessons with Auntie Kono, right?"

Hesitantly, "Riiight." Not sure of the topic switch, but trusting Catherine.

"You've seen us in bathing suits."

"Yeah." Smile "I like your polka dot one."

"Well, thank you, but, do either of _us_ look like Victoria's Secret models?"

Getting it, Grace laughs. "Well … um … no?"

"Nope. And we're okay with that."

Grace's smile reaches her eyes, like a light bulb went on. "And _your_ _boyfriend_ is _Uncle Steve_, the best, coolest guy _ever_! Well, next to Danno."

"I know Uncle Steve would be really happy you think he's the second coolest guy ever, but Hon, that wasn't what I meant. What I want you to understand is that no matter if you grow up to be built like your Mom, me, Kono or one of those models, you'll be fine. Better that fine, because you're beautiful, inside _and_ out. And Kelly's sister is right … someday you'll have tons of boyfriends. You'll probably drive your Daddy insane. So go easy on him."

That makes Grace laugh out loud. "Okay." Genuine smile. "Catherine? Thanks." She jumps up and hugs her, catching Catherine off guard, but making her smile ear to ear.

"You," she taps Grace on the nose, "are more than welcome, and if you want to, we'll work on the bra shopping thing, maybe get Auntie Kono in on it, ok?"

"Really?! _You'd_ take me _bra shopping_? 'Cause going with your cool aunts is just as good as going with an older sister! And Catherine?" Nodding toward the dressing room, "You're right, the blue one's pretty."

Swallowing the lump unexpectedly welling in her throat at Grace's 'aunts' comment, Catherine spins Grace around towards the dressing room. "That's the spirit; now let's get you those matching slippers."

**McGarrett Residence Friday evening**

"Danno!"

"Hey, Monkey! Did you have fun?" Danny catches the fifty five pounds of child catapulting at him, and gives her a hug.

"Yeah! I got _two_ sundresses, a blue one _and_ a green one with blue polka dots that Catherine bought for me, and blue slippers that match both … _and_ we had shave ice at _Kamekona's _before we went shopping at Ala **Moana …** _and_ _Kamekona _said I can go up in his helicopter with you and Uncle Steve next time… if you say it's ok."

"Oh, he did? Well, the next time Daddy's in that helicopter will be when Hel… Hades has a blizzard, so no problems there."

Grace giggles. She knew Danno would never, ever let her ride in the helicopter, but she couldn't resist telling him what _Kamekona had said. "Well, anyway, we've got shrimp, mahi mahi, hamburgers and hot dogs for dinner and I helped! Are you hungry?"_

_"__Hungry? Am I hungry? I could eat a dozen hot dogs, at least." Flipping Grace over his shoulder, he looks at Catherine._

_"__Thanks again, really. Grace, did you say thank you? Cath, what do I owe you?" _

_"__Yes, Grace thanked me and you don't owe me anything."_

_ "__I didn't give you enough cash for two dresses, Catherine, please…" Danny gets his wallet out while balancing his daughter, and starts counting bills "I appreciate you picking her up and taking her shopping, you certainly aren't paying for any clothes…"_

_"__Don't be silly, it was a little gift. We had fun, didn't we Grace?"_

_"__Yes, lots! Thank you again." Grace nods from her position over her dad's shoulder, then looking towards the door, asks "Where's Uncle Steve?"_

_"__He went around back, Babe, he's in the garage." Knowing Steve has had enough time to lock up his plethora of weapons, Danny lowers Grace to her feet. "Go tell him to hurry, or we'll eat all the fish and he'll have to eat, God forbid, a hot dog!"_

_Grace stops and whispers to Catherine while looking at Danny, and races off._

_"__Catherine, I insist. What do I owe you?"_

_"__Danny Williams. Stop that. The dress was on sale, I bought it as a gift. We had a great time. Please. You'll hurt my feelings if you won't let Grace accept it."_

_"__Okay … if you're sure." Unconvinced, but not wanting to insult Catherine, Danny lets it drop. "Thank you."_

_"__I insist and you're welcome. Now, let's eat, I'm hungry." _

_"__Uncle Steeevve! Where are you?" Hearing Grace, Steve meets her at the garage door. "Danno said hurry or you'll have to eat a hot dog!" _

_Steve drops down to her eye level, returning Grace's hug. "Only if your dad eats all the fish first. Did you have fun with Catherine?"_

_"__Yes!" Pigtails bopping up and down as she nods "So much! She's __such__ fun. We had shave ice and Catherine bought me a dress and it's not even my birthday or anything! Now I have __two__ new ones. Did you and Danno catch the bad guys?"_

_"__What do you think?" Steve stands up and grabbing Grace's offered hand, walks with her toward the lanai._

_"__I think they're in jail!"_

_"__Well, right you are. Let's go eat. Uncle Chin and Auntie Kono were right behind us, they should be here any minute."_

_After dinner, everyone was settled with coffee and tea. In Grace's case, she had her favorite lemonade. Steve couldn't remember exactly when he started keeping it in his refrigerator just for her, but he always had it on hand. When Chin began telling a not-too-scary-for-kids ghost story, Catherine stood from her position on Steve's right on the large outdoor couch, and headed inside. _

_"__I'm going to bring out the fruit and cookies. Steve, come help me."_

_Looking up from where Grace was starting to doze on his other side between him and Danny, Steve caught the unsaid 'I need to talk to you'. Shifting Grace's feet off his lap and onto the chair, he followed Catherine into the kitchen._

_"__What's the matter?"_

_"__Nothing, I just need to tell…"_

_"__Tell me what?"_

_"__Promise you won't tell Danny?"_

_"__Is it Gracie? What's wrong with Gracie?" _

_"__Nothing. Grace is fine." She smiles. Steve looks skeptical. She places a hand on his cheek. "I promise Grace is perfectly fine. Maybe this was a bad idea, I just wanted to get your take on something, but if you're going to have a heart attack…" _

_"__Now you __have__ to tell me."_

_"__Okay. Grace wants a bra."_

_"__What? Why?"_

_"__Steve!"_

_"__What?!"_

_"'__Why?'__ Really__, Steve?"_

_"__But she doesn't need … she doesn't have…" his hand waves vaguely over his own chest, making Catherine smirk "she's __eleven__, Cath!"_

_"__Yes, she is. Getting a bra is a rite of passage; it has nothing whatsoever to do with having anything to put in it. I didn't need my first bra, either. Hell, I barely need one now. But w_e moved a lot, and to feel comfortable in the girls' gym locker room, you had to have one. _Grace was almost in tears today because she wants a bra. Her friends are starting to wear them and she doesn't want to go get one with Rachel."_

_"__Stop. You're scaring me."_

_Catherine bursts out laughing "__Nothing__ scares you."_

_"__Danny's reaction to Gracie wanting a … a bra scares me."_

_"__God, Steve, you can barely say it. I wanted to run it by you before I ask Danny, to gage his reaction. I thought Kono and I could take her. She said she'd like that. To go shopping with her aunts. Aunts,__ plural__. She considers me ohana."_

_"__Of course she does. That's great, Cath, really. I'm very happy you and Gracie are so close, but Danny's gonna have a stroke and you have to ask him first. You should have seen him when Gracie talked to a boy from school for a few minutes. He practically called the kid Ted Bundy. How did this even come up?"_

_ "__She tried on dresses when we were shopping, thought she looked like 'a baby' … her words for being flat-chested … we segued into she wants a bra. And a few days ago __her__ friend overheard her high school age brother and __his__ friends talking about the Victoria's Secret models' boobs and…"_

_ "__Again, stop."_

_"__Now what?"_

_"__I can't hear about some hormonal kid talking about boobs in the same sentence as Gracie's name."_

_"__You're adorable in Uncle Steve mode, but you're not helping me, Commander. If __you're__ like this, Danny may actually have a stroke." _

_"'__Uncle Steve __mode'__?" _

_"__Yeah, 'mess with my niece and they'll never find your body' mode. It's incredibly sweet, actually. She loves you back like crazy, you know, that, right?"_

_"__Yeah?" He knows his adopted niece loves him, but it somehow warms him to hear Catherine say it out loud. _

_"__I quote 'You're the coolest, best person __in the world'__ next to her Danno, of course."_

_Steve's smile lights up his eyes. A light not lost on Catherine. Her joy at the fact that Steve, who grew up without a family, has formed such a strong one since coming home, makes her smile in return._

_"__I'll talk to Danny tomorrow, since he and Grace are staying over." Catherine reaches up, kisses him, hands Steve the platter of fruit and pushes him towards the door. "Let's go."_

_"__Good, you tell him tomorrow, far away from me. That's an __order__, Lieutenant." Only half kidding, Steve runs a hand through his hair and follows her, feeling content as hell but just a bit out of sorts._

_**Saturday morning Five-0 HQ **_

_"__Danny?" Catherine calls looking for him as she enters the bullpen. _

_Hearing her voice, Danny rushes in from the break room, carrying takeout coffee. "Is Grace alright?"_

_"__She's fine, still sleeping. Steve's back at the house. "_

_"__What's wrong? You okay?"_

_"__I'm good. Steve said you'd be here for a couple of hours finishing up the case file from yesterday."_

_Danny nods "That's why we stayed at the house, so I could come in early, get this done and get back before she wakes up. What are you doing here?"_

_"__I wanted to talk to you. Are you about finished?"_

_"__Yeah. Yeah, sit." He nods at the visitor's chair in his office, while rolling his own chair out from behind the desk to face Catherine. "Cath, what's wrong?"_

_Danny genuinely liked Catherine. She was good for Steve and was always especially kind to Grace, yesterday being an example. He hadn't had to worry when they caught a case at the end of the afternoon, because she'd offered to pick up his daughter again. She not only made sure Grace was safe, she even took her shopping so she had fun. Besides, Grace loved her. Right now, biting her lip, the normally outgoing, confident Navy lieutenant looked worried._

_"__Well…"_

_"__Did that Neanderthal do something stupid? Are you guys okay?"_

_"__Steve? No. Steve and I are fine…"_

_"__Is it Doris, then? I know what a pain in the ass she can be, want me to talk to her?"_

_"__Oh, thanks, but no. Really, that's very sweet of you, but that's not it." Catherine smiled at Danny's authentic concern. Not only for Steve, because she knew they were like brothers, albeit teenaged, quarreling ones most of the time, but for her, too._

_"__It's really not a problem, but I was talking to Grace yesterday and…"_

_"__Is she upset about something? Is it because I had to work those extra couple of hours yesterday? I know she had fun with you, she couldn't stop talking about it when I put her to bed…" _

_"__Danny…_

_"__She's feeling okay, right? She'd tell me if she didn't feel well…"_

_"__Danny!"_

_"__What?"_

_"__It's nothing like that. It's just that yesterday, she mentioned something she'd like to do. I wanted to offer, but I said I'd ask you first."_

_"__Ask me? Ask me what? She is NOT going up in Kamekona's flying death trap! If she thinks she can get you and Steve to convince…"_

_"__Danny, breathe. Yesterday, when we were out shopping, she looked upset. I guessed what was going on and when I asked her she told me." Looking Danny straight in the eyes, Catherine plunges in with "Grace wants a bra" and waits for a reaction._

_Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Catherine waits. Danny blinks. He doesn't make a sound. Blue eyes stare into brown ones. _

_"__Danny?"_

_Catherine puts her hand over his, shaking it a bit. "You in there?"_

_"__Sorry, I must not have heard you right. You couldn't have said what I thought."_

_"__No, I think I did. Grace wants to go bra shopping. She doesn't want to go with Rachel, because it's not cool to go with your mom. I said I'd ask if it was okay for Kono and I to take her, make a girls' day out of..."_

_He shot up so quickly he startled her, his chair rolling back several feet. "She wants a WHAT?"_

_"__A bra. Her friends are starting to wear them and she feels left out, and like a little girl…"_

_"__She __is__ a little girl! She's a __baby__. __My__ baby, Catherine! Why does my baby want to grow up so fast?" He looks stricken._

_"__Danny, she's eleven. All girls want to be more grown up at that age. She was trying on dresses yesterday and she said she 'looked like a baby'. I put two and two together."_

_Danny stops pacing. Collapses into his chair. Buries his face in his hands. "Oh my God." Muffled. Choked._

_"__Danny?"_

_He pops up again. Pacing, arms flailing. "Does Rachel know? Was this her idea?"_

_"__Yes, she knows. And it was Grace's idea. Rachel offered to take her, but her friends went with their older sisters. Going with your mom is embarrassing."_

_"__Rachel knows? She didn't tell me? Warn me? Try to talk her out of it? Grace doesn't need to worry about that stuff yet! She's too little to… "_

_"__To what, Danny? To want to be a young lady? She's growing up. It's a rite of passage."_

_Deep, shaky breath. "This is what the whispering was about? When you two came home from shopping?" _

_"__Yes. She wasn't sure how you'd react, or maybe she was. Danny, really, it's nothing every girl doesn't want at her age."_

_"__I…I… I can't, I mean, I don't… oh, hell. I don't know what I mean." Rubbing his eyes, which look suspiciously full, Danny sits back down, facing Catherine. _

_"__Look, she's eleven. She wants to grow up. But she cares enough about what you think to have me ask you. You should be happy about that. She could have gone with Rachel and never said a word. I think she's gauging your reaction to her not being such a little girl anymore."_

_"__This is my fault. I took her to that fashion show when she begged. They let her try on __makeup__, for God's sake! They were modeling __lingerie__! What the hell was I thinking? What the hell is wrong with me?! God, it's not like I can say no..." Again, he's on his feet._

_"__There's nothing wrong with you! You're a great Dad, but you can't postpone the inevitable. Remember what we talked about on Halloween?"_

_ "__Yes, yes, vividly, thank you very much. It's just … if it's this today, what's next?"_

_"__Awww, Danny, I get it. _Grace is going from a little girl to a pre-teen and whether she needs a bra or not, she wants one. In her case it's totally social. It's a step towards make-up, high-heels, curfew fights, dating."

"If you keep saying things like high heels and dating you may have to call 911 when I stop breathing." He sits back down.

"That's enough, now. Take a deep breath. I am _not_ calling Steve to come get us from a hospital because you had a freak out. You'll scare Grace."

With that, Catherine can actually see Danny re-inflate, as it were. Whether he flipped a mental switch taking him from Grace's Danno to Detective Daniel Williams or whatever it was, he pulls himself together and stands up, facing her eye to eye. "Okay. I'm good. I'm good. It's okay, you can take her. Thank you, Cath, really."

"Alright. Now, let's get back to Steve's. Grace will be up soon and you promised to be back to surf with her by the time Kono gets there."

**McGarrett Residence - Sunday 7:30 am**

Steve's having breakfast with a still not-quite-awake Grace when his girlfriend comes in, his partner following a few steps behind. "Hey…" he rises and makes a move towards them when Danny cuts him off with an upraised hand.

"Good morning, Monkey!" followed by "Lanai, Steven" and an almost plaintive "now, please."

With a glance at Catherine, who smiles, grabs a mug from the counter and whispers something to Grace that makes her giggle, he follows his partner outside, preparing for a Danny rant which he's sure, by Williams' posture, is bubbling below the barely controlled façade his friend maintained for Grace.

Danny paces the length of the patio, opens his mouth to speak and closes it, twice.

"Talk to me, partner."

"She'll be leaving soon."

"What? Who?"

"_Who!_ Grace. My baby, Steve."

"Leaving? Did something happen? Danny, is Rachel pulling something again?"

Danny looks at him with full eyes. "Rachel?"

Steve stops Danny's pacing with a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Use your words, like you tell me. Is. Rachel. Screwing. With. Your. Custody?"

"What? No."

"Then what the _hell_, Danny? Why'd you say Gracie's leaving? Where's she going?"

"Away. She's going away. College. Work. Maybe she'll work on the mainland, who knows?" Danny's voice actually breaks on the last word.

Steve shakes his head. "Jeez. You scared the shit out of me. Leaving. Nobody's leaving."

"She's growing up. She told Catherine she wants a bra. That's the start of it. What the hell am I gonna do, Steve? Next it's driving. Boys. _Boys_, Steve, a plethora of degenerates, stalkers and perverts trying to … to … _date_ my beautiful, perfect, innocent Grace."

His best friend looks at him with such a tortured expression that Steve's snarky comment dies on his lips. "Danny, look at me. Gracie will be fine. She's got you and all of us looking out for her. C'mon, you think we won't be there to protect her right along with you?"

"I can't screw this up, Steve. I can't. How do I protect her when she's out there?" He makes a sweeping gesture, and then runs his hand through his hair. Then quietly, "I wanted a girl, you know that?"

"What?"

"A girl. My buddies, back in New Jersey, when we found out Grace was going to be a girl, a lot of 'em said, 'congratulation's, man' and 'the next one will be a boy' in almost the same breath. They wanted sons. Not me. I was so happy she was going to be a girl, my princess. All I ever wanted was for her to be happy and safe, Steve. All the crap we see every day, how bad it is out there. I just want to keep her safe and I don't know how I'm gonna do that when she's a teenager, I just…"

"You don't get crazy, that's how. You're a great dad. Remember what I told you, your first Christmas here? She'll remember everything you teach her, but most importantly that you're there for her." Steve Smirks "If you want, I'll teach her some self defense moves."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. You really think some punk is going to mess with Gracie when he's gotta deal with Danno in protective mode and all of Five-0?"

"Well… maybe having a crazy-ass ninja uncle who's a SEAL is a plus. Provided you don't make my kid an orphan before she's old enough to go on her first date. You know, when she's thirty, thirty one…"

Steve smiles. If Danny's busting him, then he's calmed down and coming around. In his heart, Danny knows Steve would die to protect Gracie, as would the rest of their ohana.

"Ummm, excuse me, guys?" Catherine joins them on the lanai and they look up. "Danny, go talk to Grace, she's waiting for you, and she's _very_ happy, because _you're_ fine with this, right?"

"Right. Fine. I'm fine. Thanks, really. Look, I'm sorry I lost it. I just thought I'd have more time before … that Rachael and I would be ... that we'd handle… ahh, shit. Anyway, thanks. I got this. It means a lot to Grace and me that you care so much for her, that you're family." He hugs her.

Catherine places a kiss on Danny's cheek. "No problem. She's a sweetheart. Go. She's waiting."

Danny turns to leave, then looks back over his shoulder, "Steve?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks, brother."

The use of the same phrase he'd called to Danny from the rescue chopper over a year before was not lost on Steve. "Anytime, Danno. Anytime."

_GAP - _ALA MOANA (GapBody, Gap, GapKids)

"I like this one." Grace whispers, popping her head out of the dressing room. She's holding up the GAP's version of a training bra, her cheeks flushed with a combination of excitement and embarrassment. "There're two in the package, um, how many am I supposed to get?"

"Let's get you two packages" Catherine tells her. "Would you like to wear one home?"

"Yes, Please! Can I?!"

"Sure. I remember doing that when I got my first bra. Of course I was in the PX and I had to wait to get home to call my friends, because back when the dinosaurs were here we had no cell phones…"

That makes Grace giggle, since she'd already texted her friends where she was. "How about you, Auntie Kono?"

"I _lived_ in a bathing suit. My mom had to convince me to get a bra. I thought a bikini top was a perfectly good substitute. Still do, actually." she laughed. "As a matter of fact, she had Malia talk to me and offer to come shopping with us if I'd wear one, at least to school and church."

Then to Catherine, "I wasn't exactly a shy kid, but I remember being afraid my mom would embarrass me … try to have my Dad, or God forbid, Chin, who was her secret weapon to get me to behave, convince me if I didn't agree, so I did." At which both women laughed.

After they paid for her purchase and Grace tweeted a photo of the three of them to her friends, they stopped for lunch and ice cream and went back to Catherine's, where Danny was meeting them to pick up Grace. They'd all meet up again for a barbeque later that day.

**Later that evening – McGarrett residence**

"Grace Williams. That may be the prettiest dress I've ever seen."

"Thank you! Catherine and I bought it when we got the one for my friend's party. It twirls, look!" Spinning, the little girl demonstrates for Kono, who smiles and catches her in a hug.

"You look very grown up." She whispers.

"Really?" Thrilled, eyes dancing, Grace smiles even bigger. "Did you hear that, Catherine?"

"Definitely, and I agree."

"Thank you both for …" she stops when her Dad and Uncle Chin appear in the kitchen doorway "you know."

Danny enters and Kono says, "Brah, you're in so much trouble. Gonna have to beat the guys off with a stick!"

With a pointed look at his giggling daughter, he replies "Remember what I said about _motives, _Grace. And, you … are you trying to kill me, Kalakaua?"

Kono laughs and one-hands the bag of chips thrown at her head. "Nah, it's cool, she'll be fine. I'll teach her my 'love tap'. Grace, come help Uncle Chin and me set up. Cath, is the boss outside?"

"He is. Grill's all ready. Danny, he's looking for the steaks, can you grab the cooler?"

He does just that, and a few minutes later, as the last one out, he slides the lanai door closed with an elbow, walking over to drop the cooler full of steaks next to Steve. Grabbing a handful of chips, his eyes follow his daughter as she walks along the surf line, giggling with her 'aunts'. Aunts that are 4,956 miles away from Danny's sisters in New Jersey. Aunts that she wanted to share a milestone with.

Steve elbows him.

"What?"

"_You've_ got a face_._"

"Do not."

"Hell you don't. She's fine, Danny. She's thirty feet away with Catherine and Kono."

"That's not it."

"What then?"

"Maybe I'll get her that stun gun… when she's eighteen, of course…"

_End. Thanks for reading._


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